Saving Cinderella
by justwanttologin
Summary: Renee is in an abusive relationship with Charlie so when her little girl is born she convinces Josh to take her and run.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N This is going to be a short story. Less than 15 chapters I'm thinking. I'm up to 6 and I'm thinking one a day. This story is weird for me since the last story I wrote was Bella and Josh together. Also, parts of it might be completely unrealistic but I write for fun and researching stuff is not fun. Last thing… I made Swan their fake last name because I wanted her name to be Bella Swan still. Please review! _

Joshua's POV

"I'll be gone when you wake up in the morning but I'll be back Wednesday night." I tell my 6 year old son, Sam, as he tries not to cry.

I divorced his mom 3 years ago but I come over every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night for her shifts as a nurse at the hospital. We get along alright most of the time we just didn't work in a relationship.

"I love you Dad. Are you coming to my game on Saturday?" Sam asks.

"Wouldn't miss it for anything buddy." I kiss his forehead then walk out leaving the door cracked open and the hall light on though he will deny being afraid of the dark every time.

There is a bad storm on the way and I think about Alison at the hospital. I may not love her anymore but I care about her a lot and she hates storms. So does Sam so I have a feeling he'll end up in the bed with me before the night is over.

I clean up the kitchen then grab a bag of chips and turn the news on. Sam usually gets up at least 3 times before he falls asleep.

And just like that, I need a drink, I heard a noise. Finally I think he's asleep, must have been really tired.

"Dad?" Thought too soon.

"You're supposed to be in bed Sam." I tell him.

"It's raining. Mommy is going to be scared." He tells me sadly.

"I know buddy but she knows it's safe in the hospital and she knows if it's still storming we'll go pick her up in the morning."

"Can I stay up with you?" He asks me and I can't say no to him. Alison says I give in too easily but I feel guilty that he doesn't have that perfect home life where mom and dad are home every night for dinner. He doesn't even have a puppy because Alison says they aren't home enough to take care of a puppy.

Every kid should have a puppy.

Sam curls up on the couch next to me and I change the channel from the news to reruns of How I Met Your Mother. News is too depressing for a 6 year old.

He falls asleep quickly and I move to the chair and plan to sleep there for the night.

A couple of hours later Alison is calling me telling me she is sending one of her nurse friends over to stay with Sam and I need to leave for the hospital as soon as she gets there.

20 minutes later a woman who introduces herself as Sue shows up and I head to the hospital. I have no idea what is going on but Alison isn't one to demand things for nothing.

I walk to the night receptionist and she pages her for me.

She frantically drags me into an empty room before turning my life upside down.

"Josh, Renee Marsh is here. She just delivered a full term baby. She's claiming she didn't know she was pregnant and Josh… she's claiming the baby is yours. Charlie threw her down a flight of stairs but she somehow managed to get up, get his gun and shot him. He's in surgery but he's going to be fine. You need to take the baby and leave. Go somewhere far. We'll tell him she died. I have a doctor on my side. The surgery will probably last another 5 hours or so and I'm sure we could have him kept under a bit longer but you have to take your baby girl and go. Charlie will kill her if she's yours and she goes home with him. And even if Renee lies he could still hurt her. He pushed her down a flight of stairs." Alison rambles off.

Renee and I were friends in high school but not so much anymore. We did sleep together one night when we ended up at the same bar. But a month later she moved in with Charlie.

"Alison if the baby was just born how can they know she's mine? There is far more likely chance it's Charlie's. She got with him just a week or so after I slept with her one night." I tell her.

"She'll grow up scared and unloved if she grows up at all." She whispers.

"What about Sam? What about you? What about my shop?" I ask her, my thoughts spinning.

"She's beautiful. Do you want to see her?" She ignores all my questions.

"Alison…" She turns and walks down the hall leaving me no choice but to follow her.

But we pass the nursery and she knocks on a door and walks in after grabbing my hand to make sure I follow.

Shit.

"Josh. Are you going to take her?" She asks quietly and it looks like it hurts her even to talk. She looks absolutely awful. I'm amazed that she managed to shoot him.

"Renee, I doubt she's mine, why don't you press charges and he'll go to prison and you can raise her yourself? And if she does end up being mine I will do everything I can to help you."

"Cops never go to prison Mr. Uley. I hate to separate a mother from her child but in a case like this it is best for the child. I'm the doctor on Renee's case, Dr. Carlisle Cullen; I'll be the one to fake the baby's death."

"What about Sam or the fact that she's possibly not mine?" I ask Alison again.

"Sam will understand one day. And there is a chance she is yours but either way you can save her." Alison says.

"If you don't take her someone else will. I've known you a long time Josh. I trust you. She could be yours and I hope she is yours. I don't want her to have any part of him." Renee looks at me with pleading eyes.

"Can't we just do a test?" I ask Dr. Cullen

"On a dead baby? No. Charlie has people that report back to him. I'm sorry Mr. Uley but if you really want to know if she is your daughter then you will have to take her and then do it on your own. Though that in itself has risks as the identification will have you as her father and it would odd for you to need a DNA test."

Alison had walked out while I was talking to the doctor and she comes back with the baby girl. She is very beautiful. A full head of dark hair and big eyes.

"Identification?" I ask him.

"Well yes you would have to change your name and name her and you would have a death certificate for her fake mother." Dr. Cullen states like he does this all the time.

Maybe he does do this all the time.

"Have you done this before?" I ask him suspiciously.

He hesitates and then says once, about 10 years ago.

"Josh, look at her. She deserves better than Charlie even if he is her father." Alison pleads with me holding her out to me.

I take her and think back to when Sam was born. She's smaller than he was I'm sure. She's tiny.

"Alison I can't just walk out on Sam and start a new life with a baby girl that might be my daughter." I tell her again. This is all too much.

"I could arrange for you to send letters and possibly a phone call once a week and maybe after we know that Charlie believes she is truly dead I can arrange occasional visitation." The doctor tells me.

The baby girl starts making this whimpering sounds so I rearrange her and she settles into my arms. She's perfect and beautiful and looking into her eyes I know that she does deserve better than a life of being scared and treated like crap. Whether she's mine or not she's just a sweet innocent little girl.

"How do we do this?" I ask the doctor looking at Renee. She smiles a sad smile, wipes a tear from her eye and whispers thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

Joshua's POV

A few hours later I'm in a hotel room with the baby girl and all the basic necessities for a newborn baby.

Too bad knowledge can't be packed into a box because she is screaming and I have no idea what to do.

Isabella.

Renee named her Isabella.

Actually Renee asked me to name her Isabella but said the final decision is up to me.

Since I'll be the one raising the screaming child.

"Please calm down little Isabella, I'm so sorry I don't know what you need. I don't know how I'm going to do this. Are you hungry?" I ask her like she can understand what I'm saying.

I lay her down and make her a bottle but she won't drink it. She's probably going to starve to death.

Alison calls and tells me she'll be here in about 20 minutes to say good bye. I can't see Sam because he can't see the baby in case he talks about it and it gets back to Charlie. Alison is just going to tell him I had to leave to "take care of something" and deal with it as time goes by and I never come back.

I can never come back. Not unless Charlie dies or something. I may never see Sam again though Dr. Cullen says once he's old enough to understand how important it is not to talk about it then he can probably visit me.

Isabella is still screaming when Alison shows up. She takes her from me and gets her to take the bottle.

"I can't do this Alison. If I can't get her to take a bottle how am I supposed to take care of her? In a new city, with a new job in a place where I know no one? How am I supposed to work when I have a baby to take care of? You took care of Sam while I worked! Who takes care of her?"

"You do until she's a couple of months and then you put her in daycare or you find her a nanny. Carlisle has set you up a bank account with enough money to open a new shop there and live off of until it's up and running. He has a house set up for you in Houston." She tells me all this and breaks down crying. I take Isabella from her and lay her down and hold her. "I love you Josh. I never stopped. We just fought so much and it was so bad for Sam. But I never stopped loving you."

"Oh Alison I love you too. I'm going to miss you so much." I tell her wiping her tears off her face.

"Carlisle will drop the paper work off early in the morning and your plane will leave early afternoon. You have to stay here until you leave for the airport. Sam… he'll be fine. I'll tell you had to take care of something and he'll be hurt but when he's older and he knows he'll understand. He's a good kid." She tells me and I hate this.

"Alison I get that she could be mine but is it really fair to Sam to leave him if she's not?" I ask her seriously.

Dr. Cullen said he could arrange for someone else to take her.

"Josh, I know you love me. But you love Renee too, you have since high school. I don't know why you never told her but you love her. Can you really live with yourself knowing you let her daughter disappear into thin air? Just tell yourself she's yours because now she is."

"Alison I will send you as much money as you need." I tell her giving in.

"Actually you're giving me all the profit from your shop. Anything else will be traceable. I've never needed your money Josh. Don't worry about us." She hugs me and tells me good bye one more time before leaving.

After she leaves I get Isabella to sleep and lay in the bed knowing I won't be doing any sleep tonight. Luckily she only wakes up every couple of hours to eat and falls back asleep.

After a very long night I jump in the shower listening to Isabella scream the whole time and think about how much fun this plane flight is going to be with a baby that won't stop screaming.

I get out of the shower as quickly as possible and just as I start to feed her Dr. Cullen knocks on my door with his envelope full of lies.

I am now Jeremy Swan, single father to Isabella Swan whose mother died during child birth. The worst part is Isabella has to grow up actually believing this. Just in case she's one of those blabber mouth kids that will tell their whole life story to anyone who will listen.

Sam's not like that. Sam ignores most people. But Isabella is a totally different child who probably has nothing in common with Sam. You know… like a parent?

No, I have to stop thinking like that. She is mine. She is Sam's sister. Hopefully some day they will meet.

He gives me the flight details and tells me everything I need to know to start my new life as Jeremy. Then he leaves me an emergency cell phone #, a dosage of medicine to keep Isabella comfortable on the plane and leaves.

I only have a couple of hours before our flight leaves so I pack up the few things I've used and lay down on the bed with Isabella until we have to leave.

Yesterday I promised Sam I would be at his game on Saturday but as it turns out I won't be. I'll be in Houston with a brand new daughter and a brand new name and a whole new life.


	3. Chapter 3

Joshua's POV

"Come on Bella, you'll have to come to the shop with me today because Jana is halfway to Hawaii now." I tell her as she smiles and coos.

Jana, her nanny got married on Saturday and left for a 2 week honeymoon. We made arrangements for one of her friends to fill in but that friend meet a guy at the wedding and took off with him leaving me with no one for two weeks.

The shop is busy so I can't just take off for 2 weeks. So I take her pack n play and her favorite toys and formula and some goldfish and off we go.

I walk in and Emmett, one of 3 mechanics I have working for me, looks at me funny.

"Jana is gone and the backup ran off with a guy she met at the wedding. And we're too busy for me to not come in." I explain.

"Maybe Rosie can keep her. She just started summer break." He offers.

"Oh no, I'm sure she's looking forward to an actual break. Bella will be fine, she's a good baby." I tell him.

Rosalie is a teacher and I know she looks forward to the summer.

"Just let me ask her, I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have too. She loves babies though. Doesn't want any for a while because she says we're too young but she loves them." He tries to convince me.

I agree because I'm sure Bella would be happier in a house where she can crawl around rather than stuck in her pack n play all day.

He calls her and 30 minutes later she bounces in and picks Bella up. Bella smiles at her even though she's a complete stranger and I feel a little bit better. I trust Emmett but I don't really know Rosalie. I've come to trust Emmett so much in these last 6 months that he is the one person in this life that knows my story. I figured it would good to have someone in the know just in case anyone that shouldn't be here shows up.

I've adjusted pretty well to life as a single father to an infant. She was 9 months old yesterday. I send letters to Sam about once a week but since I can't really tell him much I just tell him I love him and miss him and he sends me pictures of his puppy. Alison felt bad for him and she finally gave in. She pays the teenage neighbor to take care of him on the days that no one is home all day. She also stays the nights with Sam when she works.

"Can I take her shopping Jeremy? Baby girl clothes are so cute!" She asks excitedly so I just laugh and tell her it's fine and offer her money that she doesn't take since it was her idea.

I show her how to use her car seat and tell her Jana has her on an eat and sleep when she feels like it schedule.

I kiss her good bye and Rosalie carries her out. I worry about her the whole day. Not that I don't always worry about her but Jana has been her nanny since she was 3 months old. She knows everything there is to know about her. I think she knows more about her than I do. And she's my daughter. I'm pretty sure she's not biologically mine though.

She looks a little bit like Renee but she looks a lot like Charlie. It doesn't matter though. She is mine. Just like Sam is my son, she is my daughter. I love her just as much as I love him. I would kill for her, just like I would kill for him.

Let Charlie come here. I will kill him.

Since we're busy the day goes by super quick and I follow Emmett to his house to pick up my little girl.

Rosalie is playing on the floor with her and she's wearing a frilly blue dress. She smiles and crawls to me when she sees me.

"Aww Rosie did you seriously turn Bella into Cinderella?" Emmett teases her.

I might not know a lot about girls but I do know who Cinderella is.

"Yes! Isn't she adorable?" Rosalie squeals and Bella squeals back at her.

Rosalie asks if I would like to stay for dinner and I agree so Emmett and I play with Bella while she is cooking.

"Did you have fun Cinderella?" Emmett asks her holding her above his head and she giggles then drools in his eye.

After dinner I'm packing her things up to go and Rosalie offers to keep her until Jana gets back.

"Thank you so much Rosalie, I pay Jana $300 a week. Is that enough?" I ask her so very thankful to her.

"Oh don't worry about paying me. It's not like she's a job. I had more fun today than I have had in I can't even remember." She tells me smiling and I pretend to agree figuring I'll either just give her the cash at the end of the week or add it to Emmett's paycheck.

Then I pick up my tiny princess and take her home.


	4. Chapter 4

Joshua's POV

"Daddy I want to swim!" My 5 year old Bella yells from the top of the stairs.

"Princess you'll have to talk to Rosalie, I have to work. We can do whatever you want tomorrow." I tell her and she comes down pouting.

"But Daddy, Rosie says no swimming until Ethan is a little older. It's not fair!" She screams and I want to tell her that I will call in and we can go swimming but I really have to be in.

"Baby we can swim all day tomorrow if you want to." Her lip quivers and she runs into her room. She's a bit dramatic.

Since summer started Rosalie has kept her since Jana wanted to focus on her own family now that Bella will be starting kindergarten. Once school starts she will just spent the afternoons at the shop.

"Bella we have to leave right now!" I yell up to her and 5 minutes later she comes stomping down.

We drive to Emmett and Rosalie's house with her refusing to talk to me and when we get there she stomps up to the door and walks in with me following her.

"Hey Cinderella what's wrong?" Emmett asks her.

"I want to go swimming." She tells him in her saddest poor me voice.

"Aww Cinderella Ethan is too little to go swimming but I bet daddy will take you tomorrow." He tells her and she smiles like everything is fine now even though I told her the exact same thing 20 minutes ago.

"I love you princess." I tell her and kiss her head and she hugs me and says she's sorry for ignoring me in the car. "It's OK baby, be good for Rosalie."

Emmett rides with me during the summer since I have to pick her up here every day anyways.

"What's wrong with you Jeremy?" Emmett is a good friend and he can tell when there are things messing with my head.

"Sam's birthday is in a couple of days. I sent him a birthday card and present and I might be able to talk to him on the phone but it's not enough. I miss him so much and I miss Alison almost as much. But Carlisle says that Charlie never really gave up on thinking something is funny about his daughter dying and me disappearing the next day. Plus Renee is still with him, according to Carlisle she's an empty shell and her life isn't worth leaving him. I know Sam thinks I just left him for nothing. He's getting close to the age where we might be able to tell him the truth but I still wouldn't be able to see him. 5 years and Charlie is still looking for me to keep tabs on. He makes things hard on Alison when he can, gives her tickets for things no one else would even look at. Messes with her at work sometimes. I love Bella so much and I'm glad I took her even though looking at her I know for a fact she's not my blood but I want Sam in my life." I ramble on and I'm once again glad someone knows the truth, though Rosalie knows now too.

"I'm so sorry Jeremy; I don't even know what to say. Maybe this doctor could arrange for both of you to meet somewhere not here or there. Are you ever going to tell Cinderella the truth?" He asks and I laugh because he calls her Cinderella like it's her name, I don't even think he realized it.

"Maybe if Charlie dies. I'm sure her mom would like to meet her, and I want her to meet Sam and Alison too. You know sometimes I wish I had never divorced Alison, maybe we would be a family today. But then I wouldn't have Bella. Damn, this shit is depressing."

We finish the drive in silence and once we get to the shop I jump into work taking my mind off of Bella and Sam and Alison and Renee and how messed up my life is.

The next day Bella is jumping in my bed way before the sun comes up saying get up! Get up! You said we could swim all day. And we do swim all day only stopping for food.

By late afternoon I am exhausted and Bella is a whining mess so I put on her favorite movie for her, Cinderella of course and nap on the couch while she watches it.

"Daddy, wake up!" Bella is standing on the arm of the couch screaming. Movies need to be longer.

"Are you hungry baby?" I ask her and she shakes her head yes so we head to the kitchen to see what we want to make. We do this every night even though most nights we look in the fridge and end up going out. It's not that I can't cook, it's just I really hate grocery shopping. Jana used to do it for me.

We examine the contents of the kitchen and decide on Ihop tonight.

"Daddy are you going to get me a mommy?" Bella asks once we get to Ihop and order our food.

Um well that was completely unexpected.

"Bella I can't just go out and get you a mommy. I want to find someone I really like and you have to like her. It's not really an easy thing to do." I try to explain.

"What about Rosalie? You like her and I like her."

"Yes but Rosalie is Emmett's wife. I have to find someone who isn't married." I tell her.

"Did you love my mommy?" She asks.

Damn.

"I did princess." I tell her and she smiles. "And she loved you so much, even though she never got to know you."

Not a lie at all. I did love Renee. There was a time I thought I loved Renee more than I loved Alison but after some time had passed I realized that I thought about Alison more than I ever thought about Renee. Renee was beautiful and sweet and we were high school friends.

Alison is funny and gorgeous and crazy. I met her in a bar, took her home and she never left. She partied all the time until she found she was pregnant with Sam. She is an amazing mother and she was an amazing wife. Looking back I don't even know what we argued about half the time.

"What was she like?" Bella asks about her mom so I tell her everything good about Renee.

The way her eyes lit up when she smiles and how she loved the rain. She collected elephants and always wore something purple.

"Were you married to her daddy? Why don't we have anything from her?" Bella asks and I really wish our food would hurry up and get here. I hate having to lie to her.

"Yes I was married to her and when she died I was so upset that I just left our whole house and moved here." I tell her. When you lie to a little kid they always believe you.

"I wish I at least had a picture." She says sadly.

"Me too baby, me too."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N I've never been to Disney World so everything is vague and made up. _

Joshua's POV

"Daddy why do we have to spend our vacation with people we don't even know?" Bella whines.

"They're old friend's princess; you're going to love them." I tell her and she pouts.

She's 9 and Sam is 15. They are finally going to get to meet even though only Sam knows she is his sister. I'm hoping they get along. Carlisle arranged for Alison and him and Bella and I to have a 2 week vacation at Disney World. While Bella is thrilled to be going she's not very happy she has to share it with people she doesn't know.

I was very hesitant to take the trip at all but Carlisle assures me nothing can possibly lead Charlie back to us and everything is book separately for me and Alison as if we won't be there together at all.

"Bed time baby, we have to leave pretty early to catch our flight." I tell her and she stomps up the stairs.

"Read me Cinderella." She demands. Still obsessed with Cinderella.

Starts with once upon a time and ends up with happily ever after with an evil step mother in between. Really don't see the appeal.

"Good night baby girl. I love you." I kiss her good night.

"Love you too." She mumbles already half asleep.

Our bags are already packed so I just get the stuff we'll need in the morning set up before checking the flight plans and lying in bed. I don't sleep. I am nervous about seeing Sam and Alison and I'm worried about this all somehow getting back to Charlie but more than anything I already dread the thought of saying good bye to them in the end. Carlisle made it clear that this could only happen once every couple of years just in case Charlie is tracking them. Sometimes I don't understand his logic and I want to argue but he's the smart one, the doctor, the one who has done this before. I'm just a mechanic.

Morning comes and Bella moans and groans and hides under her blanket until Emmett and Rosalie show up to tell her good bye.

"Be nice to the new people Cinderella, they're kind of important to your daddy. We're going to miss you." He hugs her and she tells him it's only 2 weeks.

6 hours later we're checking into our hotel room. We're meeting Alison and Sam in an hour at some overly themed restaurant.

Although she thinks she's too old to wear an actual Cinderella costume, Rosalie helped her find some Cinderella style dresses.

We're supposed to meet in the front of the restaurant and I see them as soon as we get there.

"Alison." I whisper her name as she throws herself into my arms.

"Josh, I have missed you so much." She barely whispers, I know Bella doesn't hear her.

"Bella, this is Alison and Sam. Friends from where I used to live." I hate not being able to tell her Sam is my son, her brother.

"Hi." She says shyly standing as close to me as possible.

We walk in and get a table and Sam tells me all about his life. School and friends and football. Everything I've missed. To his credit he pretends I'm just an old friend of his mom.

Bella picks at her food and ignores Sam and Alison even though they both try to get her to talk.

"You look like Cinderella in your dress Bella." Sam tells her and that gets him a smile.

"My friend calls me Cinderella. He has since I was a baby. Why do you look so much like my dad?" She asks him. She's too observant for her own good.

"I don't know. It's weird huh? So what grade are you in?" She starts talking about school and I sigh in relief. After dinner we walk around the square for a while and get ice cream and make plans for tomorrow. By the time we're ready to call it a day I have to pry Bella away from Sam.

"It should always be like this." I whisper to Alison and she gives me a sad smile and says it never would have been.

I know what she means. Bella isn't by blood mine so a life like this couldn't exist. I wonder if legally I've kidnapped her. I mean I had her mom's permission to take her and technically the baby born that night is dead.

I hug her good bye and then I hug Sam good bye and he whispers I love you dad.

"You're a good kid Sam." I tell him.

Once we get back to the hotel Bella is going on and on about Sam and everything we're going to do tomorrow.

This isn't how I would have planned my life but I wouldn't give her up for anything.

"Daddy?" she asks lying in bed.

"Yes baby girl?" I ask her exhausted.

"You love Alison don't you?"

"I do."

"Maybe she can be my new mommy. I think Sam would be a good big brother." I think I might actually cry.

"She lives too far away baby. Now go to sleep."

"Night daddy."

"Night princess."

A little while after Bella is asleep there is a knock on my door and I open it cautiously to Alison.

"Sam is asleep. I just wanted to see you. Sam adores her you know? She's very beautiful and sweet. She's a lot like Renee used to be. I miss you so much Josh. I hate this! So many times I've thought about just killing him myself so you can come home. We could be a family. I mean you would probably want to let Renee in her life but she's so far gone I don't think she would ever be a good mother. I could be her mother. I could love her. I don't even know why we divorced. I want you back Josh." She is crying and I take her in my arms and rub her back and lead her to the bed that Bella isn't in.

"I'm so sorry Alison. I love you so much, I miss you every day. Sam too. Do you wish I hadn't done it?" I ask her. I don't wish that but I'm curious.

"Oh no. Not at all. I see Renee walking around like a zombie and then I see how happy Bella is. You did that. You're the reason that little girl is so happy. I miss you and Sam misses you but we're not miserable. I would even say we're happy if only a little lonely sometimes. He has his football and he has a girlfriend. They are adorable together. I've thought about dating but no one seems to hold any appeal. What about you? Any dating?"

I laugh and tell her no but Bella is trying to get me to find her a new mommy. I don't really have the time or desire to date. Emmett and Rosalie have introduced me to a few friends but no one really holds any appeal to me either. Basically they are not Alison.

She ends up falling asleep in my bed and the next morning Sam knocks on my door telling me he figured she was here.

"I get why you did it and I don't wish that you hadn't because Bella is a really sweet kid but mom misses you so much sometimes." Sam tells me. "I miss you too but it's not like her."

"I miss both of you Sam. I would give anything to be able to come back safely with Bella."

"She looks just like Charlie." He whispers.

"Yeah I knew a long time ago but I love her just as much as I love you."

"That's good because he is a terrible person. No one deserves that. I'm happy for her and for you too and hopefully one day I can get to know her like a real sister."

"Daddy… I don't feel good." Bella moans and then pukes all over the bed. Super.

"Oh princess, you're burning up. I guess we're staying in today." I tell her and she starts to cry. "We have 2 weeks, plenty of time to do everything." I try to comfort her.

"But you never get to see your friends! And I'm ruining it!" She sobs.

"Um, I'll stay with her. Then you and my mom can hang out together. I really want to get to know you better Bella." He tells all of us.

"Oh yeah daddy that's a great idea!" Bella says a bit too enthusiastically. She's probably hoping I change my mind about Alison being her new mommy.

Alison looks at me and I shrug my shoulders. I wouldn't mind spending the day with Alison and Bella is clearly OK with it but I don't know Sam well enough to know if he means it or if he's just being nice. She shakes her head yes.

After asking Sam and Bella about twenty more times each if this is really OK and running to the hotel gift shop for Tylenol and sprite and telling them to order anything they want from the movies and room service Alison drags me out of the room.

"You're sure he doesn't mind? And she's sick… should I really be leaving her in the care of a teenage boy?" I ask her and she laughs.

"They will both be just fine. Sam is a very responsible kid. And she'll probably sleep most of the day. It sucks that she's sick but is it wrong that I'm kind of glad we have the day together?" She sounds guilty for thinking it.

"If it is we're both wrong." I tell her and then I kiss her, slowly not knowing what she'll do.

She kisses me back and I can feel the tears rolling down her cheek.

"Don't cry Alison, we have today to just be. Bella isn't here to read too much into it, Sam isn't here to wish it could stay like this. Today we can just be… Josh and Alison, lovers, best friends." I tell her quietly and she smiles her sad smile and drags me off to train.

The morning is amazing, pretending we're this happy couple and we don't have a real life where we can never be together looming ahead of us. We check on the kids at lunch and while Bella is awake and nibbling on a grilled cheese sandwich Sam says that she has slept most of the morning and they are about to watch Cinderella. He rolls his eyes where she can't see but smiles at her like she's worth the annoyance. Then he kicks us out and we eat lunch and then head to the beach.

Leaving here is going to be harder than I ever imagined.


	6. Chapter 6

Joshua's POV

The rest of the two weeks goes by way too fast and by the last day anyone who saw the four of us together would think we were one big happy family. Sam and Bella spent a lot of the days off on their own while Alison and I did things that we knew were going to make it harder to separate but we couldn't resist. Her being so close to me, I couldn't keep my hands off her when I didn't have. I didn't want Bella to get the wrong idea. I think Sam understood and that's why he took her out so many days. Not that he does absolutely love her, he does.

He begged me to try to find a way for us all to be together but short of murder I just don't see it happening. I didn't mention that to Sam because I think at this point he may have considered doing it himself like I know Alison has. It's crossed my mind too many times to count but killing a cop seems like a good way to end up in prison and lose Bella as well as Alison and Sam forever. I can't risk that.

It's our last night here and we've spent the last day doing pretty much whatever Bella wanted to do and then we had dinner together. Now Sam has taken Bella back to his and Alison's room so Alison can spend the night with me. Bella looked at us questioningly but Sam played it off saying he wanted to eat junk food and watch movies all night and he couldn't do that with his mom.

Bella laughed and grabbed her new stuffed beast from Beauty and the Beast.

"I'm going to miss you so much Josh. This is harder than I thought. Really I thought I would just come here and stand back while you hung out with the kids. Maybe Carlisle can relocate all of us together?" She pleads with me but I tell her no. It's too risky for us all together plus I don't want her and Sam to have to give up their lives and live a lie.

"I hate lying to Bella and it would be so much worse if she ever found out we were all lying to her. She's going hate me when she finds out and yet sometimes I still hope the day comes I can tell her because then we can be together and she can have a real relationship with Sam and she would be finally be truly safe." I tell her and she wipes her eyes trying to not start all out crying.

"No crying please? Let's just enjoy this night."

And we do. We spend all night making love and pretending that this doesn't have to end in just a few hours.

When morning comes and Sam brings Bella back to the room we all tearfully tell each other good bye and hug and kiss.

I don't realize it until later but Bella is the only one who didn't understand how important good bye was but once we get back to real life she asks why she can't talk to Sam more and why we can't go visit him and I don't know how to explain it to her so she ends up not speaking to me much for months. Sam made a huge impression on her and in her mind I'm just being mean. Emmett thinks I should tell her but I can't. She's still so young, I can't risk her talking about it and I can't risk her trying to contact any of them on her own.  
She sends him letters every week and he sends her letters and pictures and presents and she hates me more and more as time goes on for keeping him from her.

About a year after our trip Alison starts dating and while I hate the thought of her with another man I get it. It's too lonely to think about what you can't have. I throw myself into my work and Bella as much as she will let me. I open up a second shop so I'm almost always busy.

For the next 3 years she drifts farther and farther from me and closer to closer to Rosalie and Emmett. At least I love them like family and I know they have her best interests at heart.

When she's 13 Bella joins the cheerleader squad and they end up going to a national competition. It was stupid on my part really to not think about there being cameras at a national competition.

Who watches cheerleading competitions anyways?

She's about half way through the day of the competition when Sam calls me telling me I'm an idiot. I'm confused until he tells me he's watching her right now.

Who knew cheerleading competitions were on ESPN?

I try to assure him it will be fine. What are the chances he's watching and that even if he is he'll even recognize her?

It's not like she looks JUST like him.

And then she falls…. Off the top of the pyramid and screams bloody murder so I tell Sam I have to go and I run to her. Of course Sam knows what happened because he's watching from his living room and now not only is my baby girl on TV… so I am. There is no way in hell Charlie wouldn't recognize me.

What are the chances of him actually watching though?

I'm not a cop. I'm a mechanic.

How was I supposed to know Charlie had a facial recognition program set to scan every news program in the world?

Bella ends up being fine, she sprained her ankle. She was more scared than hurt.

Life goes on.

Until it almost doesn't.


	7. Chapter 7

Emmett's POV

"Hey Cinderella." I greet her as she walks in the shop from the bus and I laugh as she rolls her eyes and tells me not to call her that. "You'll always be my little Princess Cinderella." She rolls her eyes again and grabs her dad's Dr. Pepper from behind the counter and drinks it. I laugh because he's always telling her not to steal his drink.

"Where's my dad?" She asks and I tell him he had to go straighten up some issues at the other shop.

"Those guys are idiots, he's lucky he has me here." I tell her making her laugh. Even she knows the other shop is full of idiots.

Just then a cop walks in looking just like Cinderella. Oh shit.

"Cinderella go to Jeremy's office and call mom and tell her not to bring your brother up here. You can stay with me until it's time to go home. Then call Jeremy and tell him I have a problem on the Chevy I can't fix. Lock the door so no one bothers you and you can do your homework in there. Jeremy doesn't mind." I tell her hoping it throws Charlie off and hoping she actually does it. She looks at me like I've lost my mind but she grabs her dad's drink and her backpack and walks to the office and I can hear the lock locking.

"A locked door isn't going to keep me from my daughter." Charlie tells me calmly.

"You have a daughter? Why is she locked up? I always make Cinderella lock the door so the guys don't bother her while she's trying to do her homework." I have no idea what I'm doing. I hope Jeremy hurries the hell up.

"I know who she is. I saw her and Josh at the cheerleading competition." He tells me like I'm stupid.

"I don't know anyone named Josh. And Cinderella doesn't do cheerleading. She's more into boy stuff. Fishing, shooting. Stuff like that." She actually does know how to shoot; Jeremy thought it would be good for her to know. Oh shit there is a gun in his office.

Don't shoot Cinderella.

"So I'm supposed to believe you named your fishing and shooting tomboy Cinderella?" He asks almost amused.

"Well her name isn't actually Cinderella, it's a nickname and I didn't know she was going to be a tomboy when she was born. You should know that. You have a daughter. Did you know her personality when she was born? What is her name?" I'm really just hoping I can confuse the hell out of him until Jeremy gets here.

"Her name is Isabella Swan, at least until I can have it legally changed. She won't be using the name given to her by her kidnapper. That would be cruel to her. Poor thing, ripped away from her family. They told us she was dead but I never believed it. Then Josh disappears and I knew there was a chance he was the father but he couldn't know for sure. And then I saw them on ESPN and I knew she was mine. Much like you did as soon as soon I walked in. Where is Josh?"

"I'm really sorry Officer but I don't know anyone named Josh and I don't know why you think my Cinderella is your daughter. I was there at her birth, amazing really. It sounds like you missed your own daughters and for that I feel for you. But please leave Cinderella alone."

Just then Jeremy walks in and glances at the office.

"Can I help you?" He asks Charlie as if he has no idea who he is.

"Go get my daughter out of your office and give her to me or I will shoot you and him and then I will break the door down and take her."

"You would have to kill me and probably Emmett and break her out. Doesn't that seem like a suspicious thing for a cop to do? We have people watching us; you wouldn't get away with it. We have cameras all over the shop and the recording is done in another location so you can destroy everything here but not the footage. How is Renee?" Jeremy asks him and I realize he's stalling for some reason.

I hope he didn't tell Cinderella to shoot Charlie. She could I bet, she's got amazing aim. It might just traumatize her for life or something. She wouldn't go to jail or anything, she's too young plus we would hide the body too good for anyone to ever find it.

Then I see her walking up to the shop door's with Officer Lovett. She must have climbed out the office window and ran to Denny's. There is always a cop at Denny's.

Officer Lovett is one of our regular customers. Jeremy gives any cop a good deal because he says he might need them on his side one day. Let's hope he really is on our side.

"What seems to be the problem here… Officer Marsh?" He asks reading his name badge. I wonder what Cinderella told him.

So Charlie goes on to explain how Jeremy, who he obviously calls Josh, kidnapped Cinderella as a baby with the help of a doctor and a nurse who told him she was dead.

Officer Lovett is looking at him like he's insane.

"OK show me whatever proof you brought. You're a cop… you must have something proving this is true. DNA perhaps?"

"I just found her, how would I have a DNA test? I have her death certificate." He hands Officer Lovett a folded up paper.

"Baby Girl Marsh? How is this proof that Jeremy Swan kidnapped your daughter?" He asks like he's talking to child.

"Please just let me take her to get a DNA test. She's clearly mine, she looks just like me." Cinderella has been standing behind Officer Lovett afraid to move but he's been slowly inching her towards Jeremy and when she's close enough he grabs her and hugs the breath out of her.

"You did good princess." He tells her quietly and wipes away her tears.

"I've called for backup. When it gets here we'll all ride to the hospital and do a DNA test there. Jeremy and Emmett and Bella will ride with me and you'll ride with the other Officer. We won't let her out of our sight and if your story is true we'll sort this all out. What about the mother, where is she?" He asks.

"Dead." Charlie states with what I believe is an almost smile aimed at Jeremy.


	8. Chapter 8

Joshua's POV

Once we're in the car and we're sure Bella is OK Officer Lovett looks at me waiting to hear my side of the story.

I tell him the truth from the beginning where they was a chance she was my baby to her growing up and looking more like Charlie all the time. I tell him how he pushed his wife down the stairs which is why she begged me to take the baby and run, knowing she might not be mine. I tell him how my name is really Josh Uley and I have a son I can't see because Charlie would probably kill me and possibly Sam and Alison to get to Bella.

Bella looks at me with her eyes wide in horror.

"You're not my dad?" She whispers her voice revealing how broken hearted she really is.

"I am your dad princess. I became your dad the second Alison put you in my arms. I love you so much. I couldn't love anyone more than I love you."

"And you knew didn't you?" She turns on Emmett.

"Cinderella, it was to keep you safe." He tells her.

"Stop calling me Cinderella!" She screams at him and breaks down crying but she won't let either one of us touch her.

"So Sam knows?" She asks through her sobbing and I shake my head yes hoping she doesn't hate him too. "He should hate me." She whispers.

"Never princess. Sam understands why I did it and he loves you. You could've been mine but it didn't really matter. You were this tiny little girl who deserved love and happiness and a life with no worries. I might not be the best dad in the world but I do my best and you have always been loved."

"So my mom was alive?" She asks quietly.

"Yes… but she knew she couldn't protect you from Charlie especially if you did end up being biologically mine. She asked me to take you because she loved you so much. She wanted the best for you. I am so sorry I lied to you baby but I couldn't take the chance of you telling anyone the truth. We knew that Charlie really never stopped looking for you. I love you. Please don't hate me."

"I just… I don't understand. I mean I understand you wanted to protect me but you shouldn't have. After you knew I wasn't yours you should have gone back to Sam and Alison." She tells me and it breaks my heart.

"You are mine Bella."

"I love you daddy and I'm so sorry I made you leave the people you loved, I made you leave your whole life behind. But what happens now? Do I have to go live with Charlie?" She asked scared.

Emmett and I both look at Officer Lovett. There is no way Bella is going anywhere with Charlie but it would be a lot easier if he was on my side.

"Can you prove your story?" He asks and I call Carlisle who talks to him and sends medical records and new articles on Renee and Charlie as well as confirms the story. I hope it's enough.

"OK we have two choices… we can either fake a DNA test or we can take it to court saying you believed she was yours and hope that the judge believes it's in the best interest of Bella to remain with you. Either way I can personally assure you that if Officer Marsh doesn't like the outcome he will be…" He glances at Bella…"taken care of."

"What do you want to do princess?" I ask her.

"Um…" She looks at Emmett and he tells her it's her decision.

"What are the chances of my dad winning in court?" She asks Officer Lovett and he hesitates, looks at me and when I shake my head yes he tells her he would go the fake DNA test route. "Then that's what I want to do. Um, can my dad have his real name back?" She asks him.

"Bella I'm going to keep my name. You're my daughter and it's your name too." I tell her.

"No, it's a name made up for running. You can change my last name too but it's Sam's last name and Alison's last name. And it's not like I call you Jeremy anyway. You'll always be my dad." She tells me and then she hugs and while I have a feeling she's not completely over being mad I know we're going to be OK.

"He can probably change his name back since we'll be able to prove that he changed it to protect you, his daughter and then changing your last name won't be a problem." She smiles a little and says thank you.

Then he makes a call that I don't really understand half of what he is saying and we pull into the hospital parking lot.

Before we get out of the car I asking him why he's helping us over another cop.

"We're not all bad Jeremy. And I hate cops like Marsh more than most because my sister was killed by a cop just like him. I was only 15 and there was nothing anyone could do and then he got away with it because cops don't do things like that." He tells us.

"I'm sorry about your sister but thank you." I tell him.

We get out and Bella hugs him and he tells her not to worry about anything. She is my daughter.

Emmett comes in with us but for the first time in a long time she sticks to my side. Officer Lovett talks to someone at reception and then a nurse leads us to a room and they take blood from both Bella and me.

The results will take about an hour they tell us and we have to stay in the room with Officer Lovett so we don't run. I can only assume Charlie isn't far.

"What if he just takes me daddy?" Bella asks scared.

"I would never let that happen princess, I promise you."

"Cinderella you know that your dad and I would protect you with our lives." Emmett tells her.

"Why?" She asks quietly.

"Because that's what family does." He tells her.

"I love you Emmett. And I'm sorry to both of you for getting so mad in the car. I understand why you couldn't tell me." She hugs us both and tries not to cry. "This is good though right daddy? Now you can have Sam and Alison back. Does Alison hate me?" She asks.

"Of course not princess. It was her that convinced me I could take care of you by myself and when we were all together at Disney Land she really fell in love with you. And Sam loves you, you know that and now you can talk to him as much as you want and you can visit him. I hated keeping you from him as much as I had too." I tell her.

"I want to move there. Where Sam and Alison live."

"Bella your whole life is here. You're cheerleading squad and all your friends and Emmett and Rosalie."

"You gave up Sam and Alison for me and they both willingly still love me. We can be a family. I love Emmett and Rosalie and Ethan but we can visit. I know you love Alison, I knew at Disney Land but I guess I didn't really understand all that much then. You're meant to be with her."

"I love you and if you really want to move to be closer to them then we'll talk about it later. Right now let's just worry about getting you home." I tell her hugging her. Normally she rolls her eyes when I hug her but she lets me this time. I know she's scared. "It's all going to be fine baby. I know we can trust Officer Lovett and after we have the test saying your mine Charlie won't be able to get near you."

Rosalie calls to check on everything and Bella spends the next 20 minutes talking to her and I think how lucky we are to have them in our life and how we'll miss them if we move but it would be so nice to be closer to Sam and Alison though it's been a long time with Alison and I'm not sure we can ever really be together.

"Dad?" Bella asks.

"Hmm?"

"Is my mom really dead?" She asks quietly.

"Yes Bella, Carlisle told me when I called. I'm so sorry baby but her funeral will be soon, we can go if you want."

She starts crying and doesn't say anything else until a man walks in with the other Officer and Charlie. The man introduces himself as a neutral party lawyer and then opens the envelope.

"The DNA results show that Isabella Swan is the biological match of Jeremy Swan." He reads in his official lawyer voice.

Charlie starts yelling that it's not possible and Officer Lovett tells him to calm down or he will have to arrest him and tells me I'm free to take Bella home.

When Charlie attacks the lawyer the other officer gets him under control and handcuffed and Officer Lovett walks out with us.

"I have a feeling you won't be seeing him again." He tells me.

I can't help but think it's a good thing he's on our side.


	9. Chapter 9

Joshua's POV

"I'm going to miss you Cinderella." Emmett tells her as Rosalie hugs her and cries all over her.

It's been 3 months since the DNA test proved to the world that Bella is biologically my daughter. In that time we've tied up loose ends with our Houston life and started the process of moving back to my home town in Washington. Sam and Bella talk on the phone all the time and she is happier than she's been in a while. She's very excited to move to Washington.

We flew down for Renee's funeral and while we were down there we found out that Charlie had been killed in a car crash right outside of Houston.

She cried at her mom's funeral and it was possibly the saddest thing I've ever seen. I loved Renee a long time ago but Bella never even got to meet the woman that loved her so much she let her go.

Sam came with us for Bella. He's going to college soon but he promises to visit her as often as possible.

"We have to go soon princess." I tell her and then I hug them both goodbye and promise to keep in touch. They will always be family to us.

"I love you Ethan." She tells him trying not to cry. He's like a brother to her.

Emmett is taking us to the airport so we get into his car and she breaks down crying.

"Don't cry Cinderella. This is such an amazingly happy thing for you and your dad. And we're going to come visit you and you're going to come visit us and we're going to Skype. But your dad is going to finally get the girl and you're going to get to spend so much time with your brother. I love you Cinderella." Emmett tells her and she whispers love you too, and don't call me Cinderella making him laugh. She sticks her tongue out but we both know she would be upset if he ever called her Bella.

We get to the airport too quickly and she hugs him one last time before we walk away.

And a few hours later we're in Washington waiting for Alison to pick us up. Bella sees her first and points her out to me and I yell out her name. She pushes through the crowd and throws herself into my arms.

"I never thought this day would come." She tells me crying. Neither did I.

"Hi Alison." Bella tells her quietly.

"Bella! Oh honey I missed you too. And Sam is so happy!" She tells her hugging her.

We don't have luggage because everything is being shipped here in the next couple of days so we head straight out to her car.

Alison asks if we want to go back to her house or straight to our new house and I look at Bella but she just shrugs her shoulders. Not normal for Bella, she usually makes sure everyone knows her opinion.

"Why don't you drop up off at our house and then we'll come over in a little while. Let us see the house and get settled in a bit. Is Sam home?" I ask her and she says he's working but he'll be home around dinner time.

As soon as Alison leaves I ask Bella what's wrong but she won't tell me anything. She just takes a shower and stays in her new room until I ask her if she wants to go to Alison's and Sam's for a while.

"Not really no, but you can go. I'm just really tired." She tells me and while I know she's lying I also know she's not going to tell me.

"OK princess if you need anything just call me. Um order a pizza if you want. I won't stay gone long." I tell her and she says not to worry about it.

Once I get to Alison's and Sam's Sam is already there and he's immediately concerned that Bella didn't come so he heads off to our new house to see her.

An hour later he comes back with her and she runs to me and hugs me.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

"I don't want you to forget me." She whispers.

"Never."

"I know how much you missed Alison and once I saw you with her at the airport I thought maybe now that you can have her back and Sam you'll just not want me anymore. You'll remember how it was before and then maybe you'll even hate me because for the last 13 years I kept you from them!" She's yelling at me and I'm confused. Is she sad or angry?

"Never." I tell her again. "You will always come first." I tell her looking at Sam to see if he's offended by this. He doesn't seem to be.

"Bella, I love Josh but I would never ever try to push you away. Not that I even could. I really like you; I hope to get to know you better. You're Sam's sister. Honey Josh and I weren't even together when he left with you and there is no guarantee we'll be together now. I think all of us should just take things slow and get to know each other." Alison tells her.

Bella just shakes her head yes. After that's all settled we have dinner and Sam takes Bella with him to visit his girlfriend. He's thinking about asking her to marry him and while I think he's way too young I just want him to be happy.

"I'm so happy you're back Josh. Are you going to be Josh again? I don't think I can ever get used to calling you Jeremy." She asks me laughing and I tell her that yes in a couple of weeks I should be Josh Uley again and Bella will be Isabella Uley. Her choice. "Can you stay here tonight?" She asks.

"I can't Alison; we have to move slowly for Bella and for us too. I don't remember it but I'm assuming there is a reason we weren't together anymore before." I tell her.

"I know you're right about Bella but the reason we weren't together is because we were young and stupid and it was so easy to let something like the dishes not getting done or you coming home late and forgetting to call turn into a huge fight. But damn Josh you could come home late every night and never touch a dish and I would just be happy that you were here at all. We'll take it slow but we will be together." She tells me and kisses me.

As the months go on we do take it slow until one day Bella tells us we're being dumb.

A month later we're remarried.

Sam goes off to college but he visits every weekend.

I'm at the shop one afternoon with Bella doing her homework behind the counter even though she could go home because for one she's 14 now and for two Alison is home but she says she likes being here. I think it reminds her of home.

"Are you hiring?" A very familiar voice calls out and Bella looks up and screams Emmett! "Hey Cinderella." He greets her hugging her and then Rosalie and Ethan come in behind him.

"I missed you much Bella." Rosalie tells her smiling. "You're like a daughter to me and so I told Emmett we should move here one day half kidding, half hormonal because I'm pregnant and he was like yeah let's go! And here we are."

Bella is squealing as I'm telling Emmett of course he's hired and inviting them to dinner tonight.

Bella is happily telling Ethan about how great it is here and how he's going to love Sam and how she can take him swimming all the time.

That evening at dinner we introduce Emmett and Rosalie and Ethan to Alison and Sam and his girlfriend Emily and everyone gets along like they've all known each other their whole lives.

For the first time in a very long time everything is absolutely perfect.


	10. Chapter 10

Joshua's POV

My little girl, my princess is getting married. While I know he loves her I'm just not ready to let her go.

She met Jacob her senior year of high school. They broke up and got back together a thousand times through college but in the end when he proposed she said yes without even thinking. And I know they'll be happy.

Sam is married with a little boy named Bryan and a little girl named Jayden.

"She wants you Josh." Rosalie tells me coming out of Bella's dressing room.

I walk in and try not to cry. She's my little girl. And she's getting married.

"Do I look OK daddy?" She asks me nervously.

"You look just like a princess."

"Like Cinderella." She whispers.

"Just like Cinderella, but with brown hair. You're beautiful princess. I can't believe you're getting married." I tell her hugging her and kissing her head and telling her not to cry.

"Thank you for saving me daddy. If I'm Cinderella that makes you… not the prince, Jacob is the prince… it makes you… my knight in shining armor. I love you."

"I love you too, so much. OK, I'm going to call Rosalie in to fix your make up." I tell her and she nods yes.

I run into Jacob in the search for Rosalie.

"How is she?" He asks nervously.

"Nervous and beautiful and crying. I need to find Rosalie to fix her up before we start." I tell him.

"I love her so much." He tells me.

"I know you do." I assure him then walk off to find Rosalie. I find her with Sam trying to fix up Jayden's flower girl dress that Jayden got all wrinkled and covered in grass following Bryan around outside.

I tell her Bella needs her and she goes to help her. Sam asks me how I'm doing and I tell him I'm OK. Sad maybe but happy at the same time. They love each other and he'll take care of her.

"You know when you left I was hurt and confused but I always knew you had a good reason. Then when mom told me the truth and we met her at Disney World she was so afraid I was going to hate her, that I wouldn't understand. But the way you were with her, it reminded me so much of the way you were with me. You love her just as much as you love me and as much as I love Bryan and Jayden and I knew then I couldn't be mad at you or hate her. It sucked not having you in my life for so long but she was always worth it." He tells me.

I always knew he didn't hate us but actually hearing him say it is nice.

Soon the ceremony starts and I walk her down the aisle to give her away.

"I love you daddy." She whispers as I place her hand in Jacob's.

"I love you too princess."

The ceremony goes by quickly with me and Alison trying to hold all the kids down.

At the reception Bella is floating around in her Cinderella dress laughing and smiling and kissing everyone with Jacob right there.

"Dance with me daddy." She comes up and grabs my hand.

We dance without talking because I don't even know what to say to her now.

Then Emmett takes her from me and I dance with Alison.

"You did such a good job with her Josh. You raised a beautiful, loving amazing woman." She tells me. By the time Alison moved in with Bella and I Bella was too old to see her as a mother, to her Rosalie is like her mother but they are close.

"And now she doesn't need me anymore." I tell her.

"She'll always need you. There will be times when Jacob pisses her off and she wants to kill him and she'll come running to you." She tells me laughing.

Sam comes up and tells us they are about to leave for their honeymoon. She was just going to leave without telling me good bye.

"She's waiting for you." He tells me like he's knows what I'm thinking.

We walk out to where she is waiting by the car and when she sees me she runs to me and hugs me hard.

And then she's gone.

"Come on Josh let's go home. She's going to be fine; you know Jacob will take care of her." Alison drags me away as I watch her car drive off.

This is her happily ever after but I feel like I'm losing her.

"Dad wait!" Sam yells before I get in my car. He hands me a bag and tells me she told him to give it to him after he leaves. "I don't know what it is but she said she loves you and to please not to be mad at her."

Nothing suspicious about that I think as I pull a frame out of the bag.

"Holy shit Alison she's pregnant." I tell her looking at the ultrasound. She must have been afraid I would tell her she was too young. She is too young but I could never be mad at her for it.

I call her and tell her I'm happy for her and she cries and tells me she loves me.

I let Alison drag me to the car and drive home thinking about my little girl getting married and having a baby.

"You OK?" Alison asks pulling me out of my thoughts.

"She's my little girl and she's going to have a baby and she's driving in a car right this second with her husband. She has a husband and she's going to have a baby." I tell her as if she doesn't know all of this.

"This is good Josh, all good. You did everything you were supposed to do and she grew up into an amazing woman. She's going to be an amazing mom because she has an amazing dad. And Rosalie, she has Rosalie. I know she's your baby and you're never going to not worry but she's going to be OK." She tells me and I know she's right.

She doesn't need me to protect her anymore.

**A Few Years Later**

"Good night Sophie, I love you. I'll see you in the morning." I tell my 4 year old granddaughter kissing her head as she runs off after Bella for bed.

Jacob is out of town and Bella hates staying alone at night so she begged me to stay. Or maybe she mentioned she hates it and I offered…

I'm walking past Sophie's door and I hear her ask Bella to tell her the Cinderella story.

"Once upon a time there was a princess named Cinderella who had a mean dad and a scared mom. The mom knew the dad would hurt the princess so she called a brave knight to come and take the princess away from the kingdom. The brave knight had to leave his family but he thought the princess was worth it. One day the mean dad came to take the princess but the brave knight wouldn't let him. Then a king of the kingdom they were living in made the bad dad go away and the knight and the princess moved back to the kingdom where the knight could be with his family. And there Cinderella met Prince Charming. And they all lived happily ever after."

"I like your story better than the movie mommy." Sophie tells her sleepily.

"So do I baby girl. Sleep tight." She kisses her and walks out of the room and looks at me.

"I'm glad you know you were worth it." I tell her.

"You never left any room for doubt about it." She tells me.

Saving Cinderella.

Starts with a tiny little girl in danger, ends with happily ever after with some secrets and some lies, a lot of love and some danger in between.

It's probably my favorite story.

_The End_

_A/N Thank you for all the reviews and favorites and follows on the story and special thanks to those who are loyal readers and reviewers. I don't always respond to reviews but I appreciate every single one of them. _

_I need new story ideas so if you have any please send them to me! _


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